Paddington newcomer Margo delights with French flair

This Paddington newcomer has one foot in classical France and another somewhere more contemporary. And it works.

AAP Image/Steve Pohlner

Americo Fernandes is a gifted chef.

Clever, and blessed with a good grasp of the basics, he was raised in Paris which explains his French-centric approach. We worked together for a while a decade ago and he was the best of a motley but talented bunch.

He has taken over the Paddington venue that was French stalwart Montrachet, which moved to Bowen Hills, and named it Margo.

Duo of scallop, curry, asparagus, basil and corn at Margo. AAP Image/Steve Pohlner

It peddles French food, as its predecessor always did. But Margo has diverged from classical French to something with one foot in the traditional French camp and the other in something a little more contemporary. Not much has changed in the looks department except for a streamlining of the pictures and bric-a-brac.

Reading through the Margo menu you can find vestiges of the French mainstays — pissaladiere; steak-frites; tartare and a few other bits and bobs — but it diverges into more interesting territory and other cultures, despite the fact that it’s a relatively brief affair with seven entrees and six mains.

There’s a dish, for example, of chimichurri cauliflower steak, smoked leek and macadamia — an almost oxymoronic meeting of South America and vegetarian. Other newcomers include a tuna salad with gazpacho (Spain); and scallops with curry, basil, corn and asparagus.

Service is sharp. Within minutes we are seated, watered, made comfortable with menus in hand. The service doesn’t waver until we leave: that’s rare.

Margo’s motto. AAP Image/Steve Pohlner

Wines, like the food, have a French accent, but it’s really an international Australian-French weighted list: well priced, well chosen — Mosel riesling; chablis; Grand Cru St Emilion; chianti; Yarra Valley pinot noir.

As for the food, it is fiddly, delicious and lovely to look at.

Beef tartare ($22) is splendid: really good meat, perfectly seasoned, a deconstructed line of garnish to one side with cured egg-yolk, capers, and little bobs of mustard-cream. Scallops ($21, above) are simple, fresh, nicely done. A main of chicken ballotine ($38) looks striking — carrot puree making a comet-tail across the plate; a ball of dukkah-crusted pumpkin, broccolini-sprig on top and the ballotine itself. It’s a good dish, with really thoughtful presentation.

Duck breast looks a little less formal, more scattered, with parsnip, onion petals, potato batons in a neat tower, and two gorgeous, thick slices of rare breast.

There’s more, but I’m sure you get the picture. It’s good food cooked by a skilled kitchen team, and arrayed really thoughtfully, like the better chefs did in the ’90s before our obsession with casual dining replaced the art with food arranged in piles.

Is Margo fine dining? No, it’s a bistro. But it’s a bistro with a great deal of polish and a lot of care in all of its facets. Don’t expect Montrachet (you can go to Bowen Hills for that). Expect Margo with its pretty plates, attentive service and very good food.

AAP Image/Steve Pohlner

Margo

224 Given Terrace, Paddington
Ph: 3367 1516

Chef: Americo Fernandes

Lunch Tue-Fri.; dinner Mon-Sat

Eftpos and major credit cards

Vegetarian and gluten-free options

On-street parking

Scores out of 10

Food: 8, Drinks: 7, Vibe: 7.5, Service: 8